If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you may be realizing that some brands are making many claims. And most of those claims may appear too good to be true. So, it’s only expected that you may be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, since they’re a fantastic method to enhance your Ballwin and St. Charles residence’s indoor air quality. Modern residences are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.

As updated houses don’t normally bring in as much outdoor air as aging residences, irritants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate indoors. The consequence? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Air Alliance Team can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 636-206-4250 and we’ll be happy to assist you. In the meantime, find out more about how air purifiers work, their perks and our advice to help you select the ideal air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to trap contaminants before being recirculated.

These filters may incorporate a charcoal filter, to get rid of odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at capturing tiny particles down to .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be compact and used to purify an individual space. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing effective filtration for your total house.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used in combination with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Benefits of an Air Purifier

Adding an air purifier to your house can deliver lots of great health pluses. Here are several of them.

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce contaminants in your home, including some of these common triggers:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products

2. Alleviates Other Issues Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other symptoms linked to low indoor air quality. These include:

  • Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
  • Headaches
  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea

It can be tricky to distinguish symptoms related to indoor air quality, because they can be caused by many other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that you feel better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you having issues with removing heavy smells in your house, our pros recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Lower Your Likelihood of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in good health even more so during winter months. To receive full advantage of this perk, our pros recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an additional layer of protection against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Avoid

You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to stay away from when choosing a system for your house:

  • Creates ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA suggests skipping ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies a single room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air in every room. This option works with your home comfort system.

When you work with the indoor air quality experts at Air Alliance Team, we make it uncomplicated to choose the best air purifier for your home. Contact us at 636-206-4250 to get started breathing fresher air now!